Selling your home? Don't leave the guns out...

View · by **yuppiejr** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:24 pm

Our family is currently in the process of buying a new (to us) home and went through a few properties this weekend as part of scheduled / private showings. While I'm not necessarily one to name and shame I feel that this particular owner in Oak Grove needs a bit of anonymous public recognition on behalf of responsible gun owners and parents.

The individual in question was kind enough to leave no less than 7 uncased shotguns and rifles lying out in plain sight AND within arms reach of the matching ammunition in a home that was clearly occupied by at least two children under the age of 10 (in addition to mine during the showing). Chambers were closed and no gun locks in sight so I had no way to visually confirm if anything was loaded or not, and was not inclined to start messing with someone else's stuff. There was a LARGE gun safe in the garage of the same home along with plenty of gun cases also lying around the property so I'm not really clear on the reasoning at work here besides sheer laziness.

Couple things...

If you're opening your home to the general public does it seem entirely wise to leave such high value/attractive to thieves items lying around? Also, don't leave dirty dishes piled in the sink or random toys, paperwork and other personal effects piled on every horizontal surface including the floor if you intend to ever sell the home.

If you're opening your home to the general public and theft is not a concern, what about negligence? I did not touch or inspect the guns in question (chambers were closed, no locks on anything..) and I didn't go digging to find if this guy had a bedside piece sitting in a drawer but there is certainly a chance that someone's young kid might pop their hand in a drawer and find your nightstand gun or decide to play real life Call of Duty with that bolt closed Mosin you left lying on the floor... Beyond the horrifying moral repercussions of having someone killed on your property with one of your guns consider the legal implications and who is going to take care of your children if you are either in jail or financially ruined as a result?

If you're opening your home to the general public and possibly violating the Negligent Storage of Firearms statute (609.666 - https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=609.666) you might want to think about eliminating the situation before someone less gun friendly decides to make a helpful call to the local PD. I used it as a learning opportunity for my kids, but seriously, we passed another couple who had a showing at the same property so who knows what their level of gun friendliness is and how they will react?

Finally, you make gun owners, in general, look bad by acting stupidly and-or selfishly. Wise up.

View · by **xd ED** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 3:28 pm

I'm guessing this was a FSBO; either that or a maroon for a realtor and/ or seller.

View · by **Ghost** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:57 pm

When we were house shopping we went into several houses with guns laying about. Seems stupid is very common.

View · by **LePetomane** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:13 pm

Do you really think that we are that stupid???????

View · by **yuppiejr** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:41 pm

Someone was that stupid, and clearly into shooting sports plus collecting pens and tobacco pipes... It was a property represented by a local realtor, not a FSBO.

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View · by **tenmilmag** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:20 pm

You should thank this home owner for alerting you to the fact that this home is located in such a bad neighborhood that firearms need be readily available. That being said I suggest you include these necessary appliances in your purchase agreement

View · by **Ron Burgundy** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 8:15 pm

So did you make an offer on the house?

View · by **Holland&Holland** on Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:37 pm

Ron Burgundy wrote:So did you make an offer on the house?

Or the guns?

View · by **yuppiejr** on Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:44 am

Neither, the house had a number of shortcomings unrelated to the guns lying about... which were not particularly notable either.

Just waiting for a countersigned PA today and we'll be rocking a new house by the end of next month though.

View · by **tenmilmag** on Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:36 am

Good Luck to you! It's been a feverish market out there. House bidding wars and selling above asking price. Although it seems a lot more homes became available this spring.

View · by **JustinPo** on Tue Apr 28, 2015 3:03 pm

Congrats on the home purchase.

The wife and I used to make a game of find the guns/safe whenever we are going through a house we are thinking of buying, the sad part was how easy it was.

The opposite was also true when we were selling our house. The main safe was in a closet that was locked in an out of the way room and all gun paraphernalia was neatly organized and not laying around, only other POTG would notice and recognize it.

View · by **yuppiejr** on Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:16 pm

Thanks, there are deals to be had but you need know what you are looking for and be prepared to move fast and make clean offers when you find a winner. We've been at it since fall and learned a lot on both sides of a deal. The home we purchased was initially overpriced, had major MLS data omissions (indicated one bedroom less than actual, no mention of shed/outbuildings, lot square footage under-represented, etc..) and had been on market 39 days when we hit them with an offer and got the house 20k cheaper plus 12k in closing costs. Neighbors can be great sources of info on the sellers to help in structuring a deal that plays to their needs (have they already purchased another home and likely to value a fast closing, etc..)

Know your comps and present them with your offer along with a finite window for the seller to respond so you are not tied up if they waffle on a below asking offer. Personal property inclusions make messy deals, avoid them if you can aside from lawn equipment or furniture that sucks to move. FHA and VA financing can be a pain in the ass for sellers, and USAA is one of the worst mortgage companies out there for blown up closings... Be prepared to lose out to conventional financed and cash buyers in this market. Selling contingencies are also problematic, stacked closings fall like dominoes surprisingly often and are less attractive to sellers.

View · by **gbono23** on Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:37 am

When we sold our last home, we received comments from a realtor who showed the home relative to the deer and antelope mounts hanging in the basement. It was something to the effect that there was no way they would buy this house because of what I had hanging in the basement. Then went on a anti-hunting rant. Oh well, didn't bother me or my realtor, and they stayed up until the home was sold.

View · by **andrewP** on Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:40 am

Frankly, when we eventually sell our current home, I'm likely to suggest to the realtor that our safe could be rolled into the deal. For the right buyer, it'd be a value add, it'd save me having to move it, and I could then justify buying a bigger/better one. Win/win/win.

All that said, though, I'm with the OP regarding guns being left out. That's just bonkers!

View · by **20mm** on Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:49 am

Might as well leave all your guns out if they're insured. Then when someone steals them you can buy better ones. Win/Win.

It's not like a thief cares too much if your guns are behind a locked door or they need a portable cut off saw to make swiss cheese of your residential security container "safe".